What Comes After
by Ana Forever in the stars
Summary: Thrown together by strange forces, Hermione and Draco must work together in their seventh year at Hogwarts, which may be their most dangerous adventure yet.


The castle looked the same as it was years before. Tall, imposing, the gray walls formed the place she had called her second home on top of the green hill. The sky shone brightly for the day, the sun hitting perfectly on the walls, as if it was ready for a picture on the magazine. She could hear the waves of the not so distant waters, the leaves brushing against each other, the voices just above the hill.

She gripped her trunks firmly, whitening her knuckles. It had been a difficult Summer for her. Truly, it had been a difficult life overall. The Battle was over, the danger had passed. Voldermort was no longer in power, her friends were no longer running from anyone anymore. Peace had been restored. It was even safe to laugh again.

Yet, she stood frozen in front of Hogwarts.

After the Battle, the Ministry revamped. Those who favored Voldermort were tried and imprisoned in Azkaban. Harry, Ron, and others were offered positions in the Ministry- a high ranking position at that. Most of her friends took it, especially Harry and Ron. But Hermione refused a position; instead, she, like a few others, wanted to return to Hogwarts for their Seventh Year.

Harry and Ron tried to talk her out of it. It was useless and ridiculous, they said. What's the point of returning to Hogwarts after going through the things she went through already? Even her parents said the same thing. There was no logical reason for her to return to school. She was smart enough to do anything, and returning to school was the least they had expected from their intelligent daughter.

It was true. There was no logical reason for her to return to school. She could work for the Ministry alongside Harry and Ron, or any other jobs in the Wizarding world. After all, her part in the d0estruction of the darkest wizard of all time had its perks. But her drawn to Hogwarts was irresistible. She couldn't really describe the pull this school has upon her. True, she was probably the only wizard that loved homework, lessons, and tests. She did love the feel of books on her hands, the excitement to learn something new. But for some reason, the value of education wasn't the only thing that was pulling her here.

Hermione knew she was late. School had already started for a few days now, but Hermione needed to finish up some other things before she could depart her home. She did send a notice ahead, and McGonogall seemed to be understanding, although she could tell that McGonogall disapproved of her missing classes.

Behind her, she could hear soft footsteps. She turned around to look at the fellow student behind her, but the sun was blocking her vision. Hermione squinted her eyes to see who it was. The person was clearly a boy, tall, a little bit on the skinny side. His hair was long and light, his skin pale as-

Hold on.

He, like her, was carrying trunks behind him. He wasn't aware that she was there watching him. Clearly, he was loss in his own thoughts. He was only a few steps away from her before he looked at her in the eye.

Gray eyes met her brown eyes. He stood there for a moment, and Hermione wasn't sure if he really saw her in the first place. His eyes followed up and down her body to the trunks behind her. His eyes were puzzled by her appearance, but then she could see him forming the pieces as fast as he could. Suddenly, his eyes returned to her own, and she knew that both of them came to the same conclusion.

Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger would be attending Hogwarts together.

* * *

"You really saw him?" Ginny asked her as Hermione unpacked her stuff in their dormitories.

"Yes. I don't think anybody in this right world would have that stupid blond hair, that even more stupid smirk like he could," Hermione replied, closing in her trunks. She sat on one of the five beds in the room, the closest one near the window. The other girls in the room were too unpacking their stuff, clearly trying to eavesdrop in their conversation. Hermione wasn't familiar with the other girls. In her previous school years, she mostly kept to Ron and Harry, and a few other handful of friends. She knew, at least, that they were seventh years, like her and Ginny. They did look familiar to her, there was no doubt about that. She was always good with faces, but their names she failed to recall.

"But why did he come back? After what his family did?" Ginny asked her. Hermione looked at the youngest Weasley before answering. She was beautiful- looks did really run in the family. Her red hair was lighter and obviously longer than those of her brothers'. Her skin was fair, with freckles adorned near her nose. She was tall and build like their eldest, Bill. Maybe Hermione should take up a sport, to get a figure like that-

"Hermione?" Ginny asked her, a puzzled look on her face.

Hermione shook her head, trying to bring her attention back into the conversation. "Well, his family did switch allegiance during the war. Without his mother, Harry wouldn't have done what he did," she replied, keeping her voice low when she noticed someone inching closer to her bedpost. "The Ministry gave their whole entire family a pardon, and even Kingsley personally reinstated their good standings in society. So I guess McGonogall welcomed him too."

Ginny's eyes burrowed. "I know that. But why did he return to _school_, out of all the places he can be right now? He's rich- he can do whatever he wants".

Hermione leaned against her pillows. Her head tilted towards the window, where she could see little figures of black on the field below. The other students were enjoying the day after their morning classes. Some were talking to each other closely, and others were sitting on the ground or the bench that surrounded the field. A small smile formed at her lips as the thoughts of Draco Malfoy disappeared from her head.

"Who knows, who cares?" Hermione absently replied without facing the redhead. "Anyways, enough about him. What are your classes?"

* * *

At the same time, Draco sat in his Slytherin room. Like the other dormitories, the room was filled with five individual beds belonging to other five boys his age. He didn't know who he was sharing his rooms with. The other Slytherins his age already graduated or didn't complete their year. The room was filled with four boys, already in their own beds. Some of them were doing last minute assignments while others were writing letters home. They all looked up when Draco walked in, clearly stunned by their new roommate. He didn't care for any of their looks; he was used to stares during his walk into the dungeon, where the Slytherins call their place home.

He took the last remaining bed near the wall, away from the other four beds. Draco could feel their eyes following him. He wanted to yell at them, but his mouth remained shut. They eventually returned to what they were doing, although some of them left the room to probably discuss his return to Hogwarts.

He didn't even unpack his trunks, but his thoughts ran through the events in the past couple days. His choice to return to Hogwarts were shocking to his friends- what's left of them anyways- and his family. His father didn't say anything. Lucius Malfoy didn't say much nowadays after the Battle. Instead, he chose to work in his business elsewhere, and avoided being at home. His mother, Narcissa, was always supportive of his choice. Whatever Draco wanted to do, he can, as long as he's not in danger. His friends, Blaise and Pansy, were off working in the Ministry or traveling Europe, respectively. They didn't question their concerns out loud when he told them, but he did see them exchange glances when they thought he wasn't looking.

He knew his arrival sparked gossip, but it wouldn't be as big as the arrival of one of the golden trios- Hermione Granger. When he saw her on his way to the castle, he felt some strange connection with her. It was odd really. He never felt anything with the likes of her, maybe except for distaste and jealousy. She was always smarter than him, which annoyed him greatly.

The Ministry did offer jobs for those who called themselves "Dumbledore's Army". He saw the news on the _Daily Prophet_ where Potter and Weasley became aurors. He would have thought Granger would have been one too. She was clearly more talented than that stupid Potter and Weasley combined.

The door to his rooms opened up, and he could see a small, maybe a second year boy looking in uncertainly. The boy looked at from one boy to another before stopping at Draco's. There was a slight pause before the boy was fully in the room.

He wasn't as small as Draco thought he would be. Instead, he was almost as tall as Draco, with brown hair and dark eyes. He was not as pale, but was still lighter than the other boys he knew. _Maybe he's not a second year_, Draco thought. _Probably fifth, maybe sixth._

"Draco Malfoy?" the boy asked, his brown eyes studying Draco.

"What do you want?" Draco retorded, trying to make himself busy with his things.

The boy extended his arm. Attached to his hand laid a letter with his name written on it. "Here, I was suppose to deliver this to you," the boy replied, his voice slightly curious.

Draco looked up and reached for the letter. He opened the letter, but stopped himself when he realized that the brown haired boy was still standing in front of him.

"You can leave now," Draco said, his hands covering the contents of the letter.

The boy paused for a moment, and for a second, Draco could see something detected in his brown eyes. But he was probably seeing things, as the boy smiled at him before walking away, closing the door behind him.

Ignoring all else, Draco tore the letter open and read:

_Mr. Malfoy,_

_Please come to my office as soon as you get this. Your tardiness will not be excused for the second time. _

_-Professor McGonogall, _

_Headmistress._

* * *

Draco was already sitting in the office for a full five minutes. The silence between him and the new Headmistress can be described as awkward, since they did belong to rival houses only a few years ago. He was clearly irritated at her for making him wait. He did come on time, but what's keeping her from telling him why he was really here.

The door behind him slammed shut, starteling Draco. He turned around to see Hermione Granger straightening herself. He could see that she was out of breath, probably from running to the office from wherever she was.

"I'm sorry," she said in between breaths. "I had to literally wrestle the letter from the girl's hand."

Hermione stopped herself when she noticed Draco sitting in front of McGonogall. When he noticed her watching him, he turned around to face McGonogall, who smiled at the late arrival.

"Alright, Ms. Granger. Please have a seat. I have important news that concerns the both of you," she said.

Hermione took the seat next to Draco. From the corner of her eye, she could see him inching away from her, as if she was contagious with the pox. A small, irritated feeling formed, but she quickly brushed it away when the Headmistress spoke.

"As both of you may already know, many of those in your year have already graduated or chose not to return for their seventh year. A few of them are already working for the Ministry, like your friends, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," the Headmistress began, gesturing to Hermione when she spoke of her friends. "But the two of you, for some reason, chose to return for your seventh year. Although I'm not going to ask why you did so, many of your peers would. Now, as you may also already know, you will be studying with a group of students who is a year younger than you. I know that may be strange, so I came up with a solution that would benefit not only yourselves, but to the rest of the pupils as well."

"It has come to my attention that you were both Prefects in your fifth year, a position that many have always dreamed off, but never attained. Many of the Prefects have become Head Boy and Head Girl in their seventh year. Being Head Boy and Head Girl is a great responsibility for anyone. They are seen as leaders by not only the other students, but the Prefects as well. They hold the code of honor in high esteem. Other teachers, and myself included, entrusts the Heads to keep order when there are no adults around. Which comes to my conclusion, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger, it is my honor to make you both such figures here in Hogwarts."

Both Draco and Hermione sat in silence, taking the news in. After everything, they can both agree that they had not expected this.

"But Professor, isn't there anyone more qualified and more deserving than the both of us?" Hermione spoke up. She could see Draco shot her a look, but Hermione kept her eyes focused on the Headmistress.

"Ms. Granger, there are indeed others who wanted this position. They were, in some events, more qualified since they never took a year off. However, both of you hold unique characteristics that set you both apart from the others. Clearly, you both have seen and endured events that others have not. You both are wiser from the others; after all, you were first and second in your class. Even Professor Dumbledore saw the potential in the both of you. He himself told me that he decided to make both of you Heads before his death. Due to certain circumstances, you both had to leave the school. In truth, I wasn't expecting anyone from your year to be back here, but here you both are. Now it is my duty and honor to follow in Professor Dumbledore's wishes. I am sure that the both of you see the honor in being Heads?"

It was a rhetorical question, and Hermione didn't respond. Instead, she smile uncertantly at the Headmistress. "Professor, it would truly be an honor to be Head Girl this year. Thank you."

"Of course. Now both of you can leave. I'm sure that you have things to move into the new Head room?"

For the first time since his arrival, Draco spoke up. "Head room?"

Professor McGonogall smiled at Draco. "Yes Mr. Malfoy, a new room. The Head Girl and the Head Boy share a smaller dormitory, away from the other Houses. You and Ms. Granger will be living together alone, although in the separate room. You will have your own common room, although it will be a lot smaller than you are used too. There are certain restrictions in the dormitories. Like your own house, it will require a password to enter. It also has a small kitchen for the both of you, something that is a privilege for the Heads. Also, you will have your own baths that is attached. I trust that you both will behave in your new living quarters?

Draco stood up, looking straight at the Headmistress. 'Now that's not even question." He didn't look at Hermione before he bid goodbye to only one person in the room before he made his exit, leaving Hermione shocked in his wake.


End file.
